YOLONDA ROSS
YOLONDA ROSS
(Actress,Writer/Director, Producer) is a native of Omaha, Nebraska.
An independent film darling, Yolonda made her feature film debut in the award-winning independent film “Stranger Inside” in 2001.
Yolonda went on to win an IFP Gotham Award for Best Breakthrough Performance for the role as well as received her first Film Independent Spirit Award nomination in the category of Best Debut Performance.
In 2014, her work in the John Sayles film “Go For Sisters” garnered Yolonda her second Spirit Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress. She also appeared in Denzel Washington’s award-winning film “Antwone Fisher,” as well as the independent films “Yelling To the Sky,” Woody Allen’s “Whatever Works,” and commercial hits "Lila and Eve" starring Viola Davis and Jennifer Lopez and "Whitney," directed by Angela Bassett for the Lifetime Movie Network.
Yolonda has also portrayed recurring characters on several high-profile series including, "Ms. Green," in the hit Baz Luhrmann NETFLIX series, "The Get Down", "“Claudia" on "How To Get Away With Murder”, and her role as documentarian Dana Lyndsey” on "Treme". She also appeared in the HBO/David Mamet "Phil Spector" biopic after Mr. Mamet wrote her a part in his hit show "The UNIT." Her other television credits include guest starring roles on “Law and Order,” “Law and Order: Criminal Intent,” and "24", and Chicago PD.
After portraying a filmmaker on "Treme," Yolonda made her directorial debut with the 10-minute hybrid music video/short film “Breaking Night,” about a young girl taking control of her destiny. The short film officially become the music video for the famed Manfred Mann song, "Blinded By the Light," which it features, and was in rotation on VH-1 Classics.
In the book world, Yolonda's voice can be heard in the audible edition of Hannah Weyer's, "On The Come Up."
Yolonda is a member of the prestigious Labyrinth Theater Company in New York. She recently took part in one of David Mamet’s newest plays Four American Women.
Yolonda is reprising her role as the caring, no- nonsense single mother, "Jada" in Season 5 of the critically-acclaimed SHOWTIME series "The Chi,” created by Emmy winner Lena Waithe.
Yolonda resides in New York and Los Angeles.